1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink-jet recording apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to an ink-jet recording apparatus that is improved in that the nozzle surfaces can be reliably cleaned.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ink-jet recoding apparatuses comprise an ink head that ejects ink to a recording medium. The ink head has a nozzle plate that has a plurality of nozzles which are arranged in a line and through which ink may be ejected. That surface of the nozzle plate, in which the nozzles are made, is called nozzle surface. The nozzles have a very small diameter. Therefore, the nozzles may be clogged as viscosity of the ink is increased or as foreign matter enters them. If the nozzles are so clogged, the ink will not be ejected in a desirable manner, disabling the ink-jet recording apparatus from recording high-quality images.
In order to solve this problem, most ink-jet recording apparatuses have a cleaning mechanism for cleaning the nozzles of the ink head. Two types of cleaning mechanisms are known. The cleaning mechanism of the first type applies pressure in the ink head, from inside the head. The ink is thereby forced out through the nozzles, and the foreign matter is thereby forced out from the nozzles. The cleaning mechanism of the second type caps the nozzles of the ink head. Then, the cleaning mechanism applies a suction force from outside the caps, thereby removing the foreign matter from the nozzles. Thereafter, wiper blades are set into contact with the nozzle surfaces of the nozzle plate, and the wiper blades are moved relative to the nozzle plates. The ink bonded to the nozzle plate is removed. Wiper blades for this use are disclosed in, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2006-96017 and Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 7-323556. Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2006-96017 discloses wiper blades that are provided on a capping member.
As for the wipe blade and the capping member, a position to the nozzle surface is positioned by a cam.
Once the ink head and the wiper blades have been set at prescribed positions, the ink head or the wiping plate is moved relative to the nozzle surface, while held resiliently in contact with the nozzle surface. The residual ink is thereby removed from the nozzle surface.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 7-323556 discloses wiper blades provided on a carriage that moves at right angles to the direction in which a recording medium is fed. These wiper blades are mounted on the carriage. The wiper blades are configured to move parallel to the scanning direction of the carriage.